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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 96-10-04

Midday Express: News from the EU Commission Spokesman's Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: HR-Net News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>

MIDDAY EXPRESS

News from the Spokesman's midday briefing

Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb

04 / 10 / 1996


CONTENTS / CONTENU

  • [01] Imperial audience ends Jacques Santer's visit to Japan
  • [02] Japanese liquor tax - statement by the European Commission
  • [03] 52 millions d'Ecus pour la coopération transfrontalière de la Corse avec la Sardaigne et la Toscane
  • [04] First European week on safety and health - making Europe a better place to work
  • [05] Producers must respect animal welfare
  • [06] Ritt Bjerregaard: "We need an integrated EU policy on urban environmental issues"

  • [01] Imperial audience ends Jacques Santer's visit to Japan

    An official audience by Emperor Akihito in Tokyo' Imperial Palace today marked the final event in Jacques Santer's official five-day visit to Japan. Earlier the President of the European Commission made a speech at Tokyo's Keio University in which he outlined his vision of EU/Japan relations based on "shared challenges and common interests". He called for a closer relationship in a wide range of areas from political and diplomatic joint action to cooperation on fighting unemployment and facing problems of ageing populations, alongside with increased economic, industrial and trade exchanges. "Europe and Japan can learn from each other, can help each other, can achieve more in partnership than separately", Jacques Santer said. "We have come a long way from ten or only five years ago but we need to go further".

    [02] Japanese liquor tax - statement by the European Commission

    Following the EU's complaint to the WTO against the Japanese liquor tax system and the subsequent Panel report which found in favour of the EU, the WTO's Appellate Body has now ruled that Japan's tax regime does discriminate against imports from abroad. Reacting to the news, Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan made the following statement: "I am very pleased that the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organisation has confirmed the EU's long-held view that the Japanese tax system discriminates against imports. This result is very good news for European drinks exporters and for Japanese consumers alike. Japan is a major potential market for whisky, cognac, vodka and other European spirits. I welcome the statement from the Japanese government that they will look into their tax system in the light of the results of the appeal, and urge them to reform their tax regime in next year's budget in a way that will create a fair and open market for the sale of spirits, in the interest of Japanese consumers. I know that Japan shares the EU's commitment to the multilateral trading system and to the resolution of trade disputes by its Disputes Settlement Mechanism. I am therefore confident that Japan will want to change its tax system to conform with today's ruling as soon as possible."

    [03] 52 millions d'Ecus pour la coopération transfrontalière de la Corse avec la Sardaigne et la Toscane

    La Commission européenne a accordé une aide de 52 millions d'Ecus provenant des Fonds structurels pour soutenir des programmes de coopération transfrontalière entre la Corse et la Sardaigne et la Toscane. Ces programmes, qui font partie de l'Initiative Communautaire INTERREG et viennent à échéance en 1999, visent entre autres à améliorer les infrastructures portuaires et routières, à appuyer le tourisme et à développer des échanges transfrontaliers dans les domaines universitaire, culturel, économique et scientifique.

    [04] First European week on safety and health - making Europe a better place to work

    On Monday, 7 October, Social Affairs Commissioner Padraig Flynn will launch the first European Week on Safety and Health at Work. The principal aims of the Week are to emphasise the economic benefits as well as the social importance of health and safety at work and to raise awareness amongst workers and employers about hazards in the work place, encourage effective management of safety and health, promote actions to tackle specific problems and reduce risks and promote all Community measures in this field. Many events are being organised at Member State level, from a series of meetings between labour inspectors and youth in Swedish schools to half-day events organised in Helsinki around the slogan "In a good workplace, it is easy to breath". Linked to the Week but taking place in November, three major international conferences are planned. 8,000 workers are killed and 10 million injured every year in the workplace, in the European Union.

    [05] Producers must respect animal welfare

    On the occasion of the International Day for animal welfare, Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Franz Fischler said that it is imperative that producers recognise and respect society's views regarding animal welfare. It is quite clear, he said, that consumers are becoming more and more sensitive as to the production methods used by producers in particular regarding livestock and livestock products. Farmers, he said, can ignore this trend at their peril or take advantage of it by providing consumers with high quality products produced in a way which respects animal welfare requirements. Mr Fischler went on to say that farmers in general are often presented as people who have no respect for the welfare of their animals. This, he said, is far from the truth as the vast majority of farmers treat their animals properly and indeed apply production methods which respect animal welfare as normal animal husbandry practices.

    [06] Ritt Bjerregaard: "We need an integrated EU policy on urban environmental issues"

    ( !!! embargo 06/10 - 10 am ) On Sunday, 6 October, at the Second Conference on Sustainable Towns and Cities in Lisbon, Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard will outline her thinking on how the European Commission and the EU can assist towns and cities in EU to address and resolve the growing urban environmental problems. The fact that over 80% of the European population is living in cities brings the problems of how to ensure a clean and healthy urban environment in sharp focus and demands urgent and substantive action. A new model for EU environmental framework legislation, which can support and complement action at local and regional level is needed to ensure a better air quality and efficient waste and water management. Commissioner Bjerregaard intends to submit to the Commission a joint Communication with Commissioner Wulf-Mathies on how to raise the profile urban sustainability in all areas of Community policy, recognising its fundamental relationship with social and economic issues. ( !!! embargo 06/10 - 10 am )

    MIDDAY EXPRESS


    From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
    © ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996


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